Fire-escape



G. FOWLER. FIRE BSGAPE Patented Sept. 26, 1893.

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WITNESSES L42 1d tiorney UNITED STATES CHARLES h/LFOWLER, OF SALEM,

PATENT OFFICE.

MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,706, dated September 26, 1893.

Serial No. 472,752. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. FOWLER, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Salem, in the county of Essex and" State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked tjhereon, which form a part of this specifica- 101.1.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of the friction device with sling and rope shown in dotted lines, and Fig. 2 is an edge or side view of the device.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in fire escapes, the object being to provide a device of this character, simple in construction, easily operated, durable, cheap, and practical; and the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates a belt or sling, the ends of which are firmly secured around the bar a of a friction device 13. Said device comprises an integral narrow, elongated metallic frame, formed with three cross bars a, b and 0, around the longer bar a of which the ends of the belt or sling are secured, as above stated. In the end of the frame is an eye or opening 01 in a plane at right angles to the bars and which forms a somewhat extended bearing for the rope.

C designates the rope, the free end of which is designed to be connected to a window casing or sill by means of a screw-eye staple, or hook. The other end portion of said rope, (which must be of sufficient length to reach the ground) is passed through the eye or opening cl, and looped around the bars I) and c, the loops being made around the two bars from opposite sides, as shown. As many turns maybe made around the bars as maybe necessary, according to the amount of friction desired.

In using the device, the reel or coil of rope, (which may be kept hung up on the inside of the window casing,or in any other convenient place,) is thrown out of the window, and

the sling is placed around the body; or it may be made a seat if preferred. The persons weight causes the friction device to slide down the rope, the descent being regulated by grasping the rope with one or both hands just below the device, and increasing or decreasing the friction by pulling more or less upon the rope. After a descent has been made, the device can be pulled back, and another descent accomplished.

The eye or opening in the end of the frictional device serves to keep the rope steady and in place.

By making the bar a for the attachment of the sling integral with the friction bars I) and c, and riveting the ends of the sling closely around said bar, I avoid the necessity of using a separate buckle on the sling, and also of an intermediate connection between the sling and friction device. The advantages of this arrangement are as follows: The device being cast in one piece is made simple and less expensive, and it is also much stronger. The sling being secured tightly to the bar a, there is less tendency on the part of the sling to sway or swing from side to side and forward and backward.

The open form of the entire casting greatly facilitates the threading of the rope thereto, which may be quickly effected should the device be detached from the rope at the time the alarm is given, as would frequently be the case when the escape is carried by travelers in their trunks 0r valises.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In afire escape, the combination with the belt or sling, and with the rope, of the friction device comprising a narrow, elongated open or skeleton frame having the parallel integral cross bars I) and 0 having frictional connection with the rope, the eye at its upper end at right-angles to said bars, and a third and longer integral transverse bar at below said bars I) and 0 around which the ends of the belt are closely and securely fastened, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

FIDUS Lrvnnnonn,

\W. J. HASTINGS. 

